Cooling System

ABSTRACT

A cooling system for an apparatus having heat generating components. The cooling system includes a housing and multiple sealed chambers. Fluid intake and exhaust ports are formed in the housing. The sealed chambers are for containing the heat generating components and are arranged within the housing to form a cooling fluid flow channel separating the sealed chambers from one another. The cooling fluid flow channel is in fluid communication with the fluid intake and exhaust ports.

BACKGROUND

Dust and other contaminants may adversely affect the operation of some computer components. Sealing the computer system can prevent contaminants from coming in contact with those components. However, sealing the computer system tends to increase the ambient air temperature inside the sealed chamber. Not all computer components can survive the high ambient air temperature inside a sealed chamber.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of the cooling system.

FIG. 2 is a front view of another embodiment of the cooling system.

FIG. 3 is a top view of an embodiment of the cooling system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a left front isometric view of an embodiment of the cooling system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a right rear isometric view of an embodiment of the cooling system of FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a left front view of an embodiment of the cooling system of FIG. 2 further showing the use of heat pipes.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for cooling an apparatus having heat generating components.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 generally illustrates an embodiment of cooling system 2 for apparatus 4 having heat generating components 6, 8. Cooling system 2 includes housing 10 and sealed chambers 12, 14. For clarity of description, only two sealed chambers 12, 14 are shown in each of the Figures. The technology of the embodiments of this description encompasses any number of sealed chambers 12, 14 greater than one.

Formed in housing 10 are fluid intake port 16 and exhaust port 18. Sealed chambers 12, 14 contain heat generating components 6, 8. Although components 6, 8 are each represented by only one block, each block is intended to represent any number of components within its respective chamber.

Sealed chambers 12, 14 are arranged within housing 10 to form a cooling fluid flow channel 22. Cooling fluid flow channel 22 separates sealed chamber 12 from sealed chamber 14. Cooling fluid flow channel 22 is in fluid communication with the fluid intake port 16 and exhaust port 18.

In an embodiment, cooling system 2 includes fluid conducting means 24 within cooling fluid flow channel 22 for conducting fluid through cooling fluid flow channel 22. In one embodiment, the cooling fluid is a gas and fluid conducting means 24 includes a fan. In another embodiment, the cooling fluid is a liquid and fluid conducting means 24 (FIGS. 2-9) includes a pump. In one embodiment, cooling system 2 includes fluid conducting means 24 for conducting fluid within sealed chamber 12 against the internal wall 20 of chamber 12.

In one embodiment, cooling system 2 includes heat sinks 26, 28 mounted within the cooling fluid flow channel 22. Heat sinks 26, 28 are mounted to sealed chambers 12, 14. Depending on the components 6, 8, heat sinks 26, 28 may be very hot. Facing heat sinks 26, 28 towards a central cooling fluid flow channel 22 helps prevent users from touching heat sinks 26, 28.

FIGS. 2 through 9 illustrate an embodiment of cooling system 2 in a computer system. The computer system can be any personal computer, server, network attached server and the like. A computer system is split into two separate chambers 12, 14. The components 6 of chamber 12 may include the motherboard and power supply. These components 6 in chamber 12 can typically work up to 80-100 degrees Celsius. Chamber 14 may include components 8 that are more sensitive to temperature, such as an Optical Disk Drive (ODD) and a Hard Disk Drive (HDD). ODD and HDD may have maximum temperature limits of 55 degrees Celsius. Therefore, these two components 8 are placed in a separate chamber 14, away from chamber 12. Cables connecting these devices must route between the two chambers 12, 14. The components 6, 8, may be split into more than two chambers 12, 14 when attempting to maintain different operating temperature ranges.

Each chamber 6, 8 is sealed so that outside air, which may contain dust or other contaminants, cannot enter. Heat from the internal components 6, 8 of each chamber 12, 14 conducts to the outside walls of the chamber 12, 14. Heat sinks 26, 28 may be placed on the outside walls 20 to assist heat transfer to the outside ambient air. A fan may be used to assist with this transfer. An internal fan may also be used to assist heat transfer within each chamber to its exterior walls 20, where the heat is transferred to cooling fluid flow channel 22.

The technology of this description is advantageous for several reasons. The ambient air temperature to which a computer component is exposed may be more precisely controlled by separating components having high and low operating temperatures. The use of multiple sealed chambers 12, 14 surrounding an internal array of heat sinks that cannot be touched by the user offers better protection to the user than heat sinks facing outward. The internal cooling fluid flow channel 22 also acts as an insulator between chambers 12, 14 so that heat from the hotter chamber does not conduct to the was of the chamber which must remain cooler.

In an embodiment shown in FIG. 6, heat pipes 42 are embedded in interior wall 20. Heat pipes 42 enhance the transfer of heat from ambient fluid in chamber 12 to wall 20.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart representing steps of one embodiment for cooling an apparatus having heat generating components within a housing. Although the steps represented in FIG. 7 are presented in a specific order, the technology presented herein can be performed in any variation of this order. Furthermore, additional steps may be executed between the steps illustrated in FIG. 7

Fluid intake port 16 and exhaust 18 port are formed 30 in housing 10. Heat generating components 6, 8 are sealed 32 in chambers 12, 14. Sealed chambers 12, 14 are arranged 34 within housing 10 to form a cooling fluid flow channel 22 separating sealed chambers 12, 14. The cooling fluid flow channel 22 is in fluid communication with the fluid intake port 16 and exhaust port 18. Fluid is conducted 36 through the cooling fluid flow channel 22. Additionally, in one embodiment, fluid is conducted 38 within sealed chamber 12 against internal wall 20. Additionally, in one embodiment, heat sinks 26, 28 are provided 40 within the cooling fluid flow channel 22. Heat sinks 26, 28 are mounted to a sealed chamber 12, 14.

The foregoing description is only illustrative of the invention. Various alternatives and modifications can be devised by those skilled in the an without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the present invention embraces all such alternatives, modifications, and variances that fall within the scope of the appended claims. 

1. A cooling system for an apparatus having heat generating components, the cooling system comprising: a housing having fluid intake and exhaust ports formed therein and a plurality of sealed chambers for containing the heat generating components, the plurality of sealed chambers arranged within the housing to form a cooling fluid flow channel separating the plurality of sealed chambers from one another, the cooling fluid flow channel in fluid communication with the fluid intake and exhaust ports.
 2. The cooling system of claim 1 further including fluid conducting means within the cooling fluid flow channel for conducting fluid through the cooling fluid flow channel.
 3. The cooling system of claim 2 wherein the fluid conducting means includes a fan.
 4. The cooling system of claim 2 wherein the fluid conducting means includes a pump.
 5. The cooling system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the sealed chambers further includes an internal wall and fluid conducting means for conducting fluid within the sealed chamber against the internal wall.
 6. The cooling system of claim 5 wherein the fluid conducting means includes a fan.
 7. The cooling system of claim 5 wherein the fluid conducting means includes a pump.
 8. The cooling system of claim 1 further including a heat sink mounted, within the cooling fluid flow channel, to at least one of the sealed chambers.
 9. A method for cooling an apparatus having heat generating components within a housing, the method comprising: forming fluid intake and exhaust ports in the housing; sealing the heat generating components in a plurality of chambers; arranging the sealed chambers within the housing to form a coding fluid flow channel separating the sealed chambers, the coding fluid flow channels in fluid communication with the fluid intake and exhaust ports; and conducting fluid through the cooling fluid flow channel.
 10. The method of claim 10 further including conducting fluid within at least one of the sealed chambers against an internal wall of the sealed chamber.
 11. The method of claim 10 further includes providing a heat sink within the cooling fluid flow channel, mounted to at least one of the sealed chambers. 